Improvement in closing fruit-jars



R. M. DALBEY.

Fruit Jar. No. 41,202. Patented Jan. 12, 1864.

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AM PHOTO-LITHOJQNY. (OSBORNES PROCESS) STATES I NiTE ATEN'I R. M. DALBEY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

Specification forming part of Leti ers Patent No. 4i ll ,HBLB, dated January 12, 1864.

.To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, It. M. DALBEY, of Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fruit-Jars; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and. exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to the mode of sealing the jars when filled with fruit for preservation; and it consists of the several parts here inafter described.

In order that others duly skilled may be enabled to understand and construct and use my invention, I shall proceed to describe the same in detail.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective representation of a fruit-jar surmounted by my improved sealing device and cover. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the axis of same. sealing device and cover projected on a vertical plane to a larger scale.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in all the drawings.

A is the fruit-jar, molded in glass or other material, and of any shape or design, and having the neck and lip formed as shown in Fig. 2, and next to be described.

a is a projecting rim going all round the neck. On this rim a broad fiat space, I), is formed, and within the same stands the pro jecting lip c of jar.

The cover B is constructed of tinned iron, or other sheet metal, pressed or otherwise formed into the shape shownviz., a-fiat cone truncated and depressed at the apex at, and having a raised and fiat rim, 7 at the base. The lip c of jar is covered by and contained within the rim y of cover, and the edge of the latter rests on a vulcanized caoutchoue or other elastic and impervious gasket, 2, placed on the fiat space I) on rim of jar.

WVhen the jar has been filled with fruit or other matters to be preserved, and the air has been expelled, by heating or otherwise, the cover B is laid on, and the'edge of the cover being received by the gasket 2 only requires to be kept well and firmly thereon to preserve the contents of the jar from access of atmos- Fig. 3 is a portion of the pheric air, and consequent chemical change.

This is effected by the bail" or clamp O.

O is a metal clamp or bail, formed as shown' viz., with the two extremities d (I returned the downward and inward, so as to catch under the projecting rim a on neck orlip of jar A. In the middle of clamp O a fiat and broad groove, 9, is formed, either by sinking or in the manner of two shoulders and a bend. In this groove or sinking a metal slide, h, works upward and downward, as the case may be. This slide is constructed with a square, oblong, or otherwise shaped hole in its face, in which the eccentric 70 moves and works. lower edge of slide a point, z, is formed,which point rests in the depression 00 on apex of cover. The eccentric k is circular and pivoted more less oil the center. A thumb-lever, Z, is formed on the same for convenience of action in sealing and unsealing the jar.

In constructing the clamp O, the slide it is first placed in the groove 9, then the eccentric 7c is pivoted to the clamp through the opening in face of slide, the said eccentric fitting exactly, but easily, in said opening, so far as one of its dimensions (say its vertical diameter) is concerned. A shoulder,m, formed in the thickness of eccentric, and also the lever Z, prevents the slide h from slipping out of place.

The action of the whole in sealing may 110w be easily explained and comprehended. The cover B being placed over the jar, the clamp O is slid over the neck, with its two extremities hooking under the projecting rim a. The point '5 in slide it is then placed over the center of cover, and the eccentric k, by means of the thumb-lever Z, brought round, so as to cause the slide to press down the cover Very tightly, the point z entering depression a", and thus preventing the possibility of slipping,

and the elasticity of the cover B securing uniformity of pressure on every part of the circumference of jar. By elevating the thumb lever Zthe eccentric lifts the slide h and enables the clamp O and cover B to be removed. By means of the slide h a direct pressure is brought to bear upon cover B, and thereby the said cover is relieved of the friction which the rotation of the eccentric directly applied would cause. Thus there is no chance of displacement of the cover in sealing the jar.

On the Having now described my invention, its act on cover B, or its equivalent, substantially mode of operating, and its advantages, I proas and for the purpose set forth. ceed to state what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: DALBEY' In the above device for sealing fruit-jars, WVitnesses: the combination of clamp O, slide h, or its JAS. M. COOPER, equivalent, and eccentric k, when arranged to J. DOUGLASS MoLnR. 

